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Six Ways for Prayer Days

Six Ways for Prayer Days. Praying with your class or homeroom group. Why Pray?. Psychological and physiological benefits. Self-discipline/resilience/self knowledge Happiness/contentment Brain development Whole person/ stillness, balance Spiritual benefits

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Six Ways for Prayer Days

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  1. Six Ways for Prayer Days Praying with your class or homeroom group.

  2. Why Pray? • Psychological and physiological benefits. • Self-discipline/resilience/self knowledge • Happiness/contentment • Brain development • Whole person/ stillness, balance • Spiritual benefits • Connectedness to humanity/universe (spirituality) • Search for the “Other” • Takes us beyond ourselves

  3. Everyday Spirituality Spirituality: • is the gift of “me” to the world each day. • is a frame or lens through which I view, create and interpret my everyday reality. • needs to be nourished by stillness, reflection, relationships, gratitude, joy, pain, challenge and the struggle of the journey. • enables us to begin with the ordinariness of life and make it an extra-ordinary life- journey that is wonder-ful and awe-some and meaning-ful: even when it hurts.

  4. What is Prayer? • Prayer is the opening of the heart and mind to God. (Green Catechism, Catechism of the Catholic Church) • Prayer is a communication or petition addressed to a deity, especially in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition or thanksgiving (Collins Dictionary; Harrington 2002).

  5. What is Prayer? • Any connection made between creation and the spiritual force/s underpinning and sustaining creation- be it through verbal, mental, corporal, reflective, written, ritualised or other symbolic and artistic means, is prayer. • “Being with” or resting in, or attentive to, the presence of the creator force/s through literal and symbolic means and practices known and yet to be devised.

  6. Day 1: Shared Prayers • Start with prayers from a few good prayer books- e.g. Prayers for Teens I and II available from the teacher’s desk. • Invite students to write their own, and/or compile a class prayer book. • Students place their own intentions/ people/requests before God each time. • Prayer without words.

  7. Day 2: Centered Reflection • Start with short bursts of centered breathing. Add phrases, thoughts- e.g. I am loved by God; God walks with me; I can approach God at any time. • Relaxation from toes to head. Gratitude for who I am. • Guided meditation. (Books, tapes) • Guided Movement- e.g. Tai Chi

  8. Day 3: Reflection on Religious and Secular Wisdom • Selection of some Scripture passages with meaning for students. • Invite students to bring their own meaningful scripture passages. • Use Benedictine, Augustinian, or Ignatian techniques. • Use readings from other traditions, inspiring people.

  9. Day 4:Music to Lift the Soul • Use emotive and stirring music (no lyrics)to assist reflective listening. • Make words available while song is sung, or musical accompaniment played. • Use PowerPoint presentations of music, words and images.

  10. Day 5: Getting It Down • Allow students time to journal, compose prayers, write letters to God and saints. • Encourage doodling/drawing while music is played. • Diary writing/prayer lists. • Prayers for the prayer jar.

  11. Day 6: Prayer with Symbols • Small rituals which employ use of water,shells, stones, sand, flowers, oils etc. • Used with longer amounts of time • Small or whole group • Assists prayer with or without words • Good for people who “don’t/can’t” pray.

  12. Portable “Sacred Space Maker Kit” • Small Prayer Table (Breakfast Tray) • Cloth/s of various colours/textures/types • Lamp/candle/s • Symbol/s- wood/stone/glass/flowers • Scriptures • Cross • Prayer Jar

  13. Prayer with/for Larger Groups • Before you start planning: • What’s the purpose of the prayer? • What’s the context/s of the prayer? • Stand alone or appendage? • Participants? • Time limits? • Celebrants? • What is the setting of the prayer? • What are the advantages of the setting? • What are the constraints of the setting? • Is there a better, alternative setting?

  14. What time, resources and help do you reasonably have/need to prepare this prayer experience? • People • Technology- PowerPoint; OHT; Lighting; AV; CD Player • Resources- Music; Readings; Symbols

  15. Which Prayer Form? • Which of the forms are appropriate for a larger group? • Centering • Listening and Reflecting • Journaling and Doodling • Conversing with God • Ritualising and Symbolising • Songs and Music • Artistic expression • Without Words

  16. A “Formula” for prayer with groups: e.g. Assembly Prayer • Gather and Prepare; • Listen/View and Respond; • Share and Give Thanks; • Go and Tell

  17. Group Prayer Formula • Gather and Prepare: • As the group enters the sacred space, they “leave the ordinary”. Ritual action at door/entrance Sacred Setting has special effects: light/sound, decoration. • Key leader of prayer welcomes/ calls them to prayer, sets them at ease. • “Call to Prayer” using procession, drama, music, voice, symbol, ritual action- e.g. lighting a flame; ringing a bell.

  18. Following the “Formula” • Listen/View and Respond: • This involves listening, watching, engaging, observing, experiencing, receiving, joining. • Stimulus from: Scripture, Song, Movement, ritual, symbol, visual, touch, silence. • Share and Give Thanks: • Participants respond in prayer, song, shared reflection, movement, action.

  19. Following the “Formula” • Go and Tell: • Having experienced God in and through a number of forms, participants return to the ordinary world from the sacred space and have been changed by the experience.

  20. Prayer with Smaller Groups • Homeroom Prayer • Prayer with your KLA Classes • Rituals and Prayers in Sacred Spaces • Prayer in Response to a Crisis

  21. Homeroom Prayer • Be practical, based on time available • Create a Portable “Sacred Space Maker” kit • Roster students • Gather a collection of books, or make your own book of prayers for young people. • Homeroom creates its own folder of prayers • Prayer Jar • Simple Movement such as Tai Chi; centred breathing. • Schedule time/s for longer prayer/rituals- e.g. for welcome, farewell, healing.

  22. Prayer with your KLA Class • Restore the tradition of praying with your class before lessons begin. • Simple prayer- used for a week. • Small reflection- appropriate to KLA • Blessing to end the class. • Ritual action- peace/reconciliation/encouragement/support

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